


You Can't Escape from Nightmare House

by Dusty_Forgotten



Category: Half-Life
Genre: Gen, Hallucinations, Nightmare House 2 (Half-Life), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-23
Updated: 2014-11-23
Packaged: 2018-02-26 17:02:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2659655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dusty_Forgotten/pseuds/Dusty_Forgotten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Well, he's done it. He's escaped.</p>
<p>But the memories are forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Can't Escape from Nightmare House

_Date: 10/15/2013_

_Participants: Marco Mazolski_

_Eileen Smith_

_(Transcript from 13:12 to 13:37)_

_MM: FBI? My name’s Marco Mazolski. That means nothing yet, but write it down. Heard of Never Lose Hope Hospital? Have I got a story for you..._

Marco clenches his left fist, and curls his right hand around the wrist. When he tenses up like that, and closes his eyes, he can imagine the ax clutched in his hand. It’s the most comfort he gets anymore.

The woman in the chair across from him breathes quietly. “How are you feeling, Marco?”

His eyes drift slowly open. He looks away, and crosses his arms, leaning back. “I feel... fine.” He shakes his head, reconsidering. “No, I... I haven’t been this sane... for a long time.”

The therapist nods gently. “Since before you were checked in to the asylum.”

He’s quiet for a long moment. Conversations with him consist of mostly silence. “...Since before I was deployed.”

“Do you still have the flashbacks?”

“...Iraq isn’t close to the worst thing I’ve seen. Anymore.” He sits on the edge of the chaise; there’s no comfortable position. Suddenly, he feels like divulging. “I can’t go in department stores because I’m terrified of the mannequins. I’m scared of shadows, because the shadows hurt you. I’m afraid of the dark, and claustrophobic, and paranoid, and I can’t stand spiders, or venus fly traps, or skeletons, because that’s what the creepers looked like. Do you think seeing a man’s head explode bothers me?” Marco sits back. “I saw plenty of that in the asylum, besides.”

“You’ve been through something very traumatic.” She hesitates, then, and it makes Marco nervous. “I’d like you to seriously consider anxiety medica-”

“Don’t finish that sentence.” he snaps cooly. He looks down at his hands, and pops his knuckles before finally reinitiating eye contact. “For the first time in years, I am in control of my mind. I’m not risking screwing that up.”

She nods somberly. “I understand.”

Marco glances at the clock. His hour’s up. He stands. “How much do I owe you?”

“Your insurance covers a number of sessions for trauma this intense. We can schedule another appointment?”

“Yeah, I’ll, uh, I’ll check my calendar, and uh... get back to you.” he says, with no intention to do so.

_Date: 10/15/2013_

_Participants: Sylvia Kane_

_Marco Mazolski_

_(Transcript from 20:09 to 20:51)_

_SK: Hello?_

_MM: Hey, uh, Sylv. It’s, uh..._

_SK: Mark?_

_MM: Hey, sis._

_SK: Oh my God, Mark! Where have you been? Are you okay?_

_MM: I’m fine._

_SK: Mark, what happened?_

_MM: <INAUDIBLE> You wouldn’t believe me if I told you._

Marco’s apartment was emptied and rented to someone else months ago, and his sister has a guest bedroom. _“We’re still moving in,”_ she’d said, and he was glad she decided not to get a therapist for that lisp after all, _“Jeremy and I knew we’d need more space, since we have another one on the way.”_ He stands by the door in the blank-walled room, flicking the lamp. He likes being in control of the flickering. He flips the lights back on, and off, and on, and off, and yelps when he turns them on and the room is filled with mannequins. He keeps his eyes shut, and reaches blindly for the light switch he jolted away from, flipping it off, and back on, and cracks open his eyes. He lets out his breath, and slides to the floor, pulling his knees to his chest. He’s resigned not to sleep tonight.

Emily Romero stares back at him.

_Date: 10/19/2013_

_Participants: Marco Mazolski_

_(Transcript from 7:13 to 7:16)_

_MM: Jen! It’s, uh... Look, I’m sorry, I... I’m better now. Kind of. <INAUDIBLE> I, I know you probably don’t want to see me, I wouldn’t want to see me either, after what they told you. I just... I want to see my kids, Jen. Is that too much to ask? I’ve seen some bad shit, I’ve done some bad shit, I’m fuckin’ delusional I know, but... Jen, I... <INAUDIBLE> ...Do you believe in ghosts?_


End file.
